Ancient India

Chapter 6:Lesson 1Early Civilizations

Geography of India• The Indian sub-continental

(large landmass that is smaller than a continent) is a part of the continent of Asia

• Bordered by the Himalaya’s in the North

• 3 main rivers – Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra• India’s people rely on

these rivers for farming, transportation, and trade

The southern two-thirds of India is part of this huge plateau.

Climate

Monsoons = Seasonal winds • Cold, dry, air in the winter• In the summer, winds blow

west to east bringing warm, wet air and pouring rains.

• Monsoons were unpredictable. It brought much needed rain to farmers. It also could cause damaging floods.

• Lack of Monsoons in summer would cause droughts.

Indus Valley Civilizations

• 5000 years ago, nomads settles in Valley’s along the Indus River in what is now Pakistan

• People in the Indus Valley grew:• Wheat• Barley• Beans

• Now everyone had to farm. Other people made tools and constructed houses. Merchants traded extra food and goods

• The Indus civilization spread over much of western India and Pakistan

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

• 2 majoy cities between 2600-1900 B.C in the Indus Valley were Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

• At its peak 35000 residents lived in each city

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

• The two cities were designed exactly alike.• They had dozens of streets (paved with tan

bricks)• Used oven-baked bricks to build houses• Large buildings stored grain for everyone in

the city• Wells supplied water to the people

HousingHouses:

• Had flat, wooden roofs• Enclosed courtyards• Some were several

stories tall• Every house had at

lease 1 indoor bathroom (wastewater flowed through the pipes to pits outside the city walls)

• Houses also had garbage chutes connected to bins in the street.

What was life like?

• Religion and Government was a major part of daily life

• Indus Valley people resided in farming villages surrounding the city.– They grew rice, barley, wheat, peas, and cotton

• City Residents were:– Merchants, shopkeepers, and artisans.– Made and sold: copper and bronze tools, clay pottery

and cotton cloth, Jewelry from shells, ivory and gold– Toys were also found here

Trade and Migration

• Indus Valley merchants traveled as far as Mesopotamia to trade.

• Around 1900 B.C, the people of the Indus Valley began to abandon their cities and villages. (drought and earthquakes were killing people)

• A group of people known as the Aryans began migrating into India and soon a new civilization emerged

Who were the Aryans

The Aryans were not a race or ethnic group.They were a part of a language family (group of similar languages) known as Indo-EuropeanThis language family lived in central Asia then migrated and the Aryans went to India.

Who were the Aryans

– They raised cattle for meat, milk, and butter– They traveled place to place to find pastures and

water– They were expert horse riders, hunters, and

warriors– They would sometimes raid other nearby villages

for food

Who were the Aryans

• Aryans eventually mixed with the descendants of the Indus Valley people and together they created a new culture– They banned cattle as food (sacred animals)– Made iron-tools for farming– Built irrigation systems

• In the North– They grew wheat, millet, and barley

• In the South– They grew cotton, vegetables, pepper, ginger and cinnamon

Who were the Aryans

• Aryans lived in tribes led by a Raj (prince)– They fought each other over cattle, treasure, and

land• Language = Sanskrit– Used to record sales, trade, and land ownership– Eventually hymns, stories, poems, and prayers

were also written in Sanskrit• They hymns, stories, poems, and prayers were

collected into sacred texts known as the Vedas.

Ancient Indian Society

• There were 4 social classes of Ancient India that were known as the Varnas.

• People were considered members of the varna into which they were born.

Ancient Indian Society

• The most powerful varnas were the Brahmins (priests) and the Kshatriyas (Warriors and Rulers).

• Varnas system is considered a caste system. In a caste system, people remain in the same caste or social group for life.

Ancient Indian Society

• In ancient India, the family was the center of life. Grandparents, parents, and children lived together

• Elder Family members were respected• The oldest male was in charge of the entire

household• Men had more rights than women• Men attended school and women were

educated at home

The Guru

• In India’s leading families, a boy has a guru or teacher, until he attended school in the city.

• Parents arrange marriages for their children (a tradition that still goes on today)

• Often they are forced to marry in their teens and are not allowed to get a divorce.